Product Spotlight: StarFish 452F and 990F Side Scan Sonars

Tritech International has launched two new StarFish side scan sonar models, which are capable of producing near photographic-quality images of the sea floor. They are ideal for surveying lake bottoms for research purposes, dive sites, submerged structures, or shipwrecks.

Tritech has added the StarFish 452F and StarFish 990F sonar imaging systems. Each is built on the same full-body, compact, three-fin, hydrodynamic design that made the original so popular. The imaging capabilities of both models have been enhanced through the application of Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse (CHIRP) and digital-signal-processing (DSP) techniques

The StarFish 452F is an improvement of the original StarFish, with higher resolution and the same acoustic range of 100 meters per channel. With half the horizontal beam angle (for twice the resolution) and digital CHIRP technology developed from the professional underwater survey industry, the 452F produces crisper and cleaner imagery than the original. It competes with many larger commercial systems to produce extremely sharp images of the seabed and includes software with a variety of data export options.

The StarFish 990F is Tritech’s most advanced imaging solution. With a 35-meter range capability on each channel (giving 70 meter total swathe coverage), it is designed for extreme high resolution surveys. With detailed image definition and target detection, the StarFish 990F is suitable even for search and recovery operations. The 990F uses high frequency 1MHz acoustic chirped pulses with a 0.3 degree horizontal beam width to produce the most defined and clear images out of any StarFish system.

Measuring less than 15 inches long, StarFish units provide a small and lightweight towed side-scan sonar solution. Each StarFish can run independent of the boat, requiring no fixed installation and making it easy to transport and operate from any vessel. A topside controller connects to any Windows PC or laptop via USB connection. The sonar can be deployed by hand and towed from a boat to capture and record real-time sea-bed images.

StarFish systems are advertised as “true plug-and-play technology.” They can be controlled directly by the included StarFish Scanline software. Additionally, a software development kit is available as a free download from the StarFish website, allowing users to integrate the system into their own software package.

For more details, call Fondriest Environmental at (888) 426.2151, e-mail customercare@fondriest.com, or visit http://www.fondriest.com/products/side_scan_sonar.htm.